seeconrun's posterous

washington, DC thru airBandB

Last week I made a short trip to DC for business and decided to give this new service a try -- www.airbandb.com. It's an organized mix of couchsurfing and craigslist subletting. You contact the home owner directly and rent by the night(s); it could be a portion of the house, a private room or the entire home, and sometimes they include breakfast and tips about the area.

My two nights stay was at Melissa's studio in Dupont Circle, which I chose for its central location and close proximity to the meetings I had scheduled, and also because her apartment looked chic and the type of environment I'd want to stay in..

Here are photos and notes from my stay--

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the entrance into Melissa's studio. the whole place has a light, clean and airy feel to it. 
to the right are photos of where she's lived, including Paris, Boston, New York and Puerto Rico. 
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she has a remarkable bookcase structure that lines her wall, giving it a full yet not cluttered feeling.
and a mini grand white piano.. i want one! if only i played the piano..
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i love scoping out people's texts, especially their cookbooks. she has one of alice waters! a true foodie.

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where i slept..and also the two kitties, which would not leave me alone..

'tis all. it was a short stay, i wish i could have been there a bit longer if only to enjoy the studio and Dupont a bit more. Who knows, it was such a last minute trip that I suspect I'll be heading over to DC again shortly. I'll definitely be using airbandb.com again..thinking of a trip to Monterey!

couchsurfing photo project

exhibit A: 
Ariel
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praha//prague, czech republic

exhibit B:  
Miklós
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 budapest, hungary

exhibit C:

Evelyn
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 wien/vienna, austria

These photos are of the last three couches-turned-into-beds that I've slept on via www.couchsurfing.org (I think there are around 15 in total!). Theses couchses represent much more than a place to lay my head after a long day's of walking and wandering. They symbolize the generosity of humanity, each couch holding the name of my host, unique and full of stories, laughs, struggles and surprises.

While traveling I'm much more interested in living the lives people do in the cities I visit over the luxuries of a hotel or even hostel. Couchsurfing has allowed me to do just that--to be welcomed into the homes of complete strangers and instant friends, to drink their coffee, cook hot dinners with them, listen to their stories, share mine, soak up their knowledge, try and speak their language, hang out with their friends, be part of their culture.

Funny, I feel like I've learned more about European history these past four months than I have in a year of AP Euro. I wish I can rewind to high school now that I have visuals for all those dead old men, cathedrals, battles and bridges that were written in the textbook, and much more.

Traveling is all about following your intuition, and while on my own, I've learned a thing or two about that. I'm utterly grateful for the people (who I now call friends) who've welcomed me into their homes, their lives and secrets and the many, many recipes and mouthwatering memories at dinnertime. I'm constantly thinking about how I want to contribute to the world; now more interested in so many parts of the world, its hidden pockets and the wonderful people who inhabit them, I'm also much, much more thankful for the place I can call home and can't wait to return.. in just a few days!